[International scientific output on the International Classification for Nursing Practice]

The International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP) is a classification system that aims at an universal standardized language for nursing. This article aims to discuss the results of studies addressing ICNP. This is a review of the literature in the database of the Virtual Health Library, by the term "ICNP" with coverage until 2009. 124 articles were found; 65 were analyzed and their contents were grouped in nine categories: general approaches; applicability in practice; assessment ratings; experiments with computational resources; development and inclusion of terms; approach to classification systems; use to anchor the building of nursing statements; translations; and others. It was found that few studies present projects or evaluate the practical applications of ICNP. The majority discusses conceptual issues or compare ICNP with other classification systems. Several studies conclude about the appropriateness and relevance of ICNP, despite pointing a need for improvement.